Two 18-year-olds have been charged with felonies after graffitiing explicit hate speech onto a Thousand Oaks building, officials announced Friday.
The Ventura County DA’s Office charged both Matthew Daniel Rakowski of Simi Valley and Johann Bernhardt Patrick of Thousand Oaks with one count of felony vandalism and one misdemeanor count of a hate crime.
On Oct. 14, Thousand Oaks Patrol deputies responded to a report of graffiti vandalism where antisemitic and white power hate speech and symbols were tagged on the side of a commercial building.
The DA’s Office said two suspects were captured on video surveillance, which detectives then used to identify the teens and their vehicle.
Police arrested Patrick the following day in Thousand Oaks, and Rakowski on Oct. 16 in Simi Valley.
Patrick was charged and arraigned on Oct. 17, and Rakowski received the same charges on Oct. 25.
However, just as he did following his arrest, Rakowski is currently out on bail – this time of $20,000. Patrick remains in custody, according to the DA’s Oct. 18 release.
Rakowski will be arraigned on Oct. 30.
